"and practical instruction. Standing on the foundation of the "Apostles and Prophets, he exhibited the doctrines of Christ "in their genuine purity, separated from the dross of supersti"tion, and traced with inimitable elegance, through all their "beneficial influence on the consolation, on the order, and on "the virtue of both public and private life. Hence, his dis"courses, uniting in the most perfect form the attractions of "utility and beauty, gave a new and better tone to the style of "instruction from the pulpit; and contributed in a remarkable "degree to correct and refine the religious, the moral, and the "literary taste of the times in which he lived. "The universal admiration which attended his ministerial la"bours, was some recompense to him for the exertions they had "cost. But his chief recompense arose from the consciousness "of having contributed so eminently to edify the Church of "of Christ, and from the improving influence which his labours "had shed on his own heart. For he was, at home and in him"self, the perfect image of that meekness, simplicity, gentleness, and contentment, which his writings recommend. He "was long happy in his domestic relations; and though doom"ed at last to feel, through their loss in succession, the heavi"est strokes of affliction; yet his mind, fortified by religious "habits, and buoyed up by his native tendency to contentment, "sustained itself on God, and enabled him to persevere to the "end in the active and cheerful discharge of the duties of his "station; preparing for the world the blessings of elegant in"struction; tendering to the mourner the lessons of divine con"solation; guiding the young by his counsels; aiding the meri"torious with his influence, and supporting by his voice and by "his conduct, the civil and ecclesiastical institutions of his "Country. "With such dispositions and habits it was natural that he "should enjoy a distinguished portion of felicity. And perhaps "there never was a man who experienced more completely that "the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and that all her "paths are peace. His Country was proud of his merits, and "at different times conferred on him, through the hands of the Sovereign, the most honourable and substantial proofs of her 66 approbation foreign lands learned from him the way of sal"vation he saw marks of deference and respect wherever he "appeared: and he felt within himself the gratulations of a "good conscience, and the hope of immortality. It was pecu"liarly delightful to see him in the latest period of his life, at "the venerable age of eighty-two, looking back on almost three "score years spent in the public service of his God, pleased "with the recollections which it gave, possessing a mind still vigorous and clear, the delight of his friends, sensible to the 66 attentions which they paid to him, burning with zeal for the "good of the Church, and with all the ardour of youthful am"bition, preparing the materials of a new claim to the grati"tude and admiration of posterity. In this active state of pre"paration, with the lamp of life still clear and bright, he was "found by the great Lord of all when he came to say, 'It is "enough; and, after a single night of pain, to call him gently to "his rest. "He has gone to give an account of his stewardship.—The "Church mourns in him the loss of her brightest ornament. Let us submit to the stroke with resignation and reverence; and as "the most acceptable proof of respect to his memory, let us learn "to practise the lessons which he taught." EDINBURGH, J. FINLAYSON. SERMON I. ON THE UNION OF PIETY AND MORALITY. Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.-ACTS, x. 4. THE High and Lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, dwelleth also with him that is of humble and contrite heart. In the midst of his glory, the Almighty is not inattentive to the meanest of his subjects. Neither obscurity of station, nor imperfection of knowledge, sinks those below his regard who worship and obey him. Every prayer which they send up from their secret retirements is listened to by him; and every work of charity which they perform, how unknown soever to the world, attracts his notice. The text presents a signal instance of this comfortable truth. In the city of Cæsarea, there dwelt a Roman centurion, a military officer of inferior rank, a Gentile, neither by birth nor religion entitled to the privileges of the Jewish nation. But he was a devout and benevolent man; who, according to his measure of religious knowledge, studied to perform his duty, prayed to God always, and gave much alms to the people. Such a character passed not unobserved by God. So highly was it honoured, that to this good centurion an Angel was sent from heaven, in order to direct him to the means of full instruction in the truth. The Angel accosts him with this salutation, Cornelius, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. It is to the conjunction of prayers and alms that I purpose now to direct your thoughts, as describing the respectable and amiable character of a man, as forming the honour and the blessedness of a true Christian; piety, joined with charity, faith with good works, devotion with morality. These are things which God hath connected, and which it is impious in man to separate. It is only when they remain united, that they can come up as a grateful memorial before God. I shall first endeavour to show you, That alms, without prayers, or prayers without alms, morality without devotion, or devotion without morality, are extremely defective; and then shall point out the happy effects of their mutual union. LET Us begin with considering the case of alms without prayers; that is, of good works without piety, or a proper sense of God and religion. Examples of this are not uncommon in the world. With many, virtue is, or at least is pretended to be, a respectable and an honoured name, while piety sounds meanly, in their ears. They are men of the world, and they claim to be men of honour. They rest upon their humanity, their public spirit, their probity, and their truth. They arrogate to themselves all the manly and the active virtues. But devout affections, and religious duties, they treat with contempt, as founded on shadowy speculations, and fit to employ the attention only of weak and superstitious minds. Now, in opposition to such persons, I contend, that this neglect of piety argues depravity of heart; find that it infers an irregular discharge of the duties of morality. FIRST, it argues internal depravity; for it discovers a cold and a hard heart. If there be any impression which man is formed by nature to reeeive, it is a sense of religion. As soon as his mind opens to observation and reflection, he discerns innumerable marks of his dependent state. He finds himself placed, by some superior power. in a vast world, where the wisdom and goodness of the Creator are conspicuous on every side. The magnificence, the beauty and order of nature, excite him to admire and adore. When he looks up to that omnipotent hand which operates throughout the universe, he is impressed with reverence. When he receives blessings which he cannot avoid ascribing to divine goodness, he is prompted to gratitude. The expressions of those affections, under the various forms of religious worship, are no other than native effusions of the human heart. Ignorance may mislead, and superstition may corrupt them; but their origin is derived from sentiments that are essential to man. Cast your eyes over the whole earth. Explore the most remote quarters of the east or the west. You may discover tribes of men without policy, or laws, or cities, or any of the arts of life. But no where will you find them without some form of religion. In every region you behold the prostrate worshipper, the temple, the altar, and the offering. Wherever men have existed, they have been sensible that some acknowledgment was due, on their part, to the Sovereign of the world. If in their rudest and most ignorant state, this obligation has been left, what additional force must it acquire by the improvements of human knowledge, but especially by the great discoveries of the Christian revelation? Whatever either, from reverence or from gratitude, can excite men to the worship of God, is by this revelation placed in such a light, as one should think were sufficient to |